1.0 Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to cast nets and, more particularly to a throwing device which may be secured to a cast net.
2.0 Related Art
Cast nets have been known in the art for quite some time and have been successfully used by fishermen to catch baitfish, shrimp etc. Cast nets may be used by fishermen standing on shore, wading into a body of water, or from a boat. Conventional cast nets comprise hand thrown nets which form a circle upon impact with the water if properly thrown. The size of conventional cast nets varies, with conventional nets typically having a radius of about three feet to about twelve feet for instance. Conventional cast nets are typically constructed of a monofiliment or nylon material configured to form a square mesh of varying sizes, depending upon the type of fish the fisherman wishes to catch. For instance, the mesh may vary from about one quarter inch square mesh to about one inch square mesh. Conventional nets typically include a weighted line, referred to in the art as a lead line, disposed about and attached to the periphery of the netting, which causes the cast net to sink after impact on the surface of the water.
Known cast nets also include a plurality of braille lines which extend diametrically across the netting, with opposite ends being attached to the lead line. Braille lines are further connected, at the approximate center of the netting, to one end of a throw line or rope via a variety of swivel devices which are known in the art.
After the cast net has been cast and has sunk to the bottom or the desired depth of the particular body of water, the fisherman may pull on the throw line which causes the net to be gathered, thereby capturing baitfish, etc. within the net. The net may then be retrieved by drawing in the throw line.
Although cast nets have been used successfully for quite some time, they typically are somewhat difficult to throw in the proper fashion so that they are spread into a circular shape upon impact with the water, particularly for inexperienced fishermen.
Furthermore, it is sometimes difficult to cast the cast nets a sufficient distance from the fisherman. Various techniques are known in the art for throwing or casting cast nets, which if followed correctly, greatly facilitate the proper casting of the nets. However, even these techniques can be awkward, and somewhat difficult to follow, especially for an inexperienced fisherman. For instance, various known techniques include multiple steps requiring the fisherman to hold the throw line in one hand, while draping the cast net over the opposite arm, after subdividing the net into various portions, placing a portion of the lead line between his teeth, and then throwing the net with the proper motion. As may be appreciated, an undesirable result often occurs, with the cast net hitting the water without being fully opened. Additionally, with some of the known techniques, the fisherman is required to grasp a portion of the netting of the cast net. This often results in the fisherman""s fingers of the casting hand becoming entangled with the net during the cast, which impedes the proper opening of the net during the cast.
In view of the foregoing difficulties associated with conventional cast nets, there remains a need for a device which facilitates the casting or throwing of cast nets.
In view of the foregoing needs, the present invention is directed to a simple and inexpensive cast net throwing device which may be secured, in a simple manner, to the netting of a cast net, thereby significantly enhancing the ability of the fisherman to cast the net in such a manner that the net opens fully upon impact with the surface of the water. This may be accomplished because the cast net throwing device is sized and configured to permit the fisherman to grasp the throwing device and the device is substantially centered on the net, thereby enhancing the fisherman""s ability to impart rotation to the cast net, when the throwing device is secured to the net and the net and throwing device are cast. Accordingly, opening of the net during the cast is facilitated as a result of centrifugal forces acting on the net. Since the cast net throwing device is substantially centered on the net, when secured to the netting, the centrifugal forces are substantially evenly distributed throughout the net. Closing of the cast net is not impeded by the cast net throwing device, since the device is secured to the netting of the cast net without interfering with the operation of the braille lines of the cast net, which act in combination with a throwline to close the net when the fisherman exerts a pulling force on the throwline. The cast net throwing device may be provided separately, which permits existing cast nets to be retrofitted or alternatively, the cast net throwing device may be provided with, and secured to, a new cast net. Additionally, the inventor has observed that use of the cast net throwing device of the present invention allows a fisherman to react quicker, i.e., to cast a cast net incorporating the cast net throwing device in a shorter period of time, in reaction to the appearance of a school of baitfish for instance, since incorporation of the cast net throwing device simplifies casting of the net. Furthermore, the inventor has observed that incorporation of the cast net throwing device significantly enhances a fisherman""s ability to accurately cast the net to a desired location.
According to a first aspect of the present invention, a cast net throwing device is provided for use with a cast net including a netting defining a mesh, with the cast net exhibiting a substantially circular shape when fully open and the netting being bounded at an outer periphery by a lead line. The cast net further includes a plurality of braille lines secured at opposite ends to the lead line and interconnected therebetween to a throwline, with the throwline and braille lines operating in combination with one another to close the net when the fisherman pulls on the throwline. The cast net further includes an annular thimble which is substantially centrally disposed relative to the netting and is secured to the netting, with the annular thimble defining an aperture therethrough for accepting the braille lines and including an outside diameter. The cast net throwing device comprises at least one handle member, with the at least one handle member being operatively securable to the netting, without interfering with the operation of the braille lines of the cast net. The at least one handle member is substantially centrally disposed on the cast net when the cast net throwing device is secured to the netting. The at least one handle member is sized and configured to permit the user to grasp the member, thereby facilitating the user""s ability to impart rotation to the cast net when the device is secured to the net and the device and net are cast, whereby opening of the net during the cast is facilitated as a result of centrifugal forces acting on the net as stated previously.
According to one embodiment, the at least one handle member comprises a first ring member which includes a radially inner surface defining an inside diameter which is greater than an outside diameter of the thimble of the cast net. The first ring member further includes a radially outer surface and an annular channel defined by the radially outer surface. In this embodiment, the cast net throwing device further comprises a binding material, which may comprise twine, rope or the like, with the first ring member being securable to the netting of the cast net with the binding material. During installation of the cast net throwing device, a portion of the netting disposed radially outwardly of the cast net thimble is draped across the annular channel of the first ring member. The binding material is then wrapped around this portion of the netting which forces the portion of netting into the annular channel and secures the ring member to the netting. In this embodiment, the first ring member may comprise a split-ring member having opposing circumferentially facing ends disposed in abutting relationship with one another and defining an interface therebetween. In this event, the cast net throwing device may further comprise an arcuate connecting member which is disposed in abutting relationship with the radially inner surface of the first ring member. The arcuate connecting member is fixedly attached to the first ring member by conventional means such as riveting. Alternatively, the cast net throwing device may comprise a continuous ring member. In either event, the ring member is substantially concentrically disposed relative to the thimble of the cast net so that when rotation is imparted to the cast net, the cast net may be caused to rotate about the center of the net so that centrifugal forces are substantially, evenly distributed throughout the cast net which facilitates the opening of the net during the cast.
In this embodiment, the first ring member may be made of aluminum or a variety of other materials including other metals, metallic alloys, plastic materials, glass filled nylon material such as 30% glass filled nylon, and other composite materials, provided the alternate materials exhibit sufficient strength to withstand the centrifugal forces acting upon the ring and the size and configuration of the ring in combination with the material allows the ring and net to sink in either fresh or salt water bodies.
In another embodiment, the cast net throwing device further comprises a second ring member having a radially inner surface and a radially outer surface, with the second ring member comprising a split-ring, clamping member having first and second circumferentially facing ends. Each of the ends define a radially extending flange having an aperture extending therethrough, with the apertures being effective for receiving fasteners therethrough. In this embodiment the split-ring, clamping member is used in lieu of the binding material to secure the first ring member to the netting. After a portion of the netting has been draped across the annular channel of the ring member, the clamping member is positioned in the annular channel and secured with fasteners which captures the portion of the netting between the first ring member and the split-ring member within the annular channel. In this embodiment, the first ring member and the split-ring, clamping member may be made of a glass filled nylon material, or of the other materials discussed with respect to the foregoing embodiment.
In yet another embodiment, the at least one handle member of the cast net throwing device comprises first and second split-ring members, with the inside diameter of one of the split-ring members being substantially the same as the outside diameter of the other split-ring member and the two split-ring members being disposed in substantially concentric relationship with one another, and with the thimble of the cast net, when the cast net throwing device is secured to the netting of the cast net, such that a portion of the netting disposed radially outwardly of the thimble of the cast net is captured between the two split-ring members. The two split-ring members may be secured to one another by fasteners which pass through circumferentially spaced apertures in each split-ring member, which are aligned with one another. In this embodiment, the split-ring members may be formed from aluminum bar stock material. However, other alternative materials may be used as discussed previously.
In yet another embodiment, the at least one handle member of the cast net throwing device comprises a pair of elongate members which are disposed proximate opposite surfaces of the netting of the cast net and are attached to one another wherein a portion of the netting of the cast net is captured between the first and second elongate members. Each of the elongate members include a central ring portion defining a substantially circular aperture extending therethrough and a pair of elongated portions extending outwardly from the central ring portion. The central ring portion of the upper elongate member is disposed in surrounding relationship with the thimble of the cast net and the substantially circular apertures of each of the elongate members are preferably substantially concentrically disposed with the thimble thereby substantially centering the cast net throwing device with respect to the cast net. One of the elongate members, which is disposed proximate the underneath surface of the netting of the cast net, includes a slot extending through the central ring portion of the elongate member which is effective for receiving the braille lines of the cast net. Accordingly, when the elongate members are attached to one another and secured to the netting of the cast net, the elongate members do not interfere with the operation of the braille lines of the cast net. If this were not true, the ability to close the cast net would be impeded or prevented. None of the embodiments of the cast net throwing device of the present invention impede the operation of the braille lines of the cast net. The elongate members of this embodiment may be made of aluminum, other metals or metallic alloys, plastic materials or composite materials.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, a cast net is provided which includes a netting defining a mesh and a lead line, with the netting being bounded at an outer periphery by the lead line. The cast net further includes a throwline having first and second ends and a plurality of braille lines secured at opposite ends to the lead line and interconnected therebetween to the throwline. The throwline and braille lines operate in combination with one another to close the net when a user pulls on the throwline. The cast net further includes an annular thimble which is substantially centrally disposed relative to the netting and is secured to the netting, with the annular thimble defining an aperture therethrough for accepting the braille lines and including an outside diameter. The cast net further includes a cast net throwing device comprising at least one handle member, with the cast net throwing device being secured to the netting of the cast net without interfering with the operation of the braille lines of the cast net. The at least one handle member is substantially centrally disposed on the cast net. The at least one handle member is sized and configured to permit the user to grasp the member, thereby enhancing the user""s ability to impart rotation to the cast net when the cast net is cast, whereby opening of the cast net during the cast is facilitated as a result of centrifugal forces acting on the net. The cast net throwing device may comprise any of the embodiments discussed previously, with regard to the first aspect of the present invention. Additionally, the at least one handle member of the cast net throwing device may comprise a wide variety of devices other than those discussed previously.